Photo : Reuters/BBC
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Reuters/BBC
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
Somalia: President welcomes redeployment of US troops
On 18 May, BBC reported president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the US’ redeployment of troops in Somalia. The official Twitter account of Mohamud tweeted that the US had always been a reliable partner in Somalia’s “quest to stability and fight against terrorism.” The development comes after the Joe Biden administration approved the deployment of 600 American troops in Somalia on 16 May to participate in operations targeting al Shabaab. (“Somalia’s new president welcomes US redeployment,” BBC, 18 May 2022)
Uganda-DRC: Kampala to withdraw troops in DRC within two weeks
On 17 May, Uganda's land forces commander tweeted that Uganda would abide by the agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and withdraw its troops from the latter in two weeks. Ugandan troops had been deployed in the DRC, along with Congolese troops, since December 2021 to tackle the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The commander said Operation Shujaa was scheduled to last only six months and unless there are further instructions, Uganda will not continue to station its troops in the DRC. ("Uganda says it will pull out troops from DR Congo," BBC, 18 May 2022)
Burkina Faso: No survivors found in flooded mine
On 17 May, the government’s information service said no survivor had been found in the mine where eight miners had been trapped since 16 April. The statement said the rescue team did not find anyone in the refuge chamber, thereby suggesting that the miners could not have reached the chamber when the mine was flooded by torrential rains. The mine is owned by a Canadian firm, Trevali Mining Corp. (“Burkina Faso rescuers find no survivors in flooded mine chamber,” Al Jazeera, 18 May 2022)